Before You Go
by Bookworm1063
Summary: Carlos gives Jay the Jarlos necklace.


Jay scanned the courtyard one last time, a frown already fixed in place. There were students everywhere, bidding friends farewell or climbing into their cars. Everyone was leaving- and Carlos was nowhere to be seen.

A few feet away, Gil had his arms around Uma while Harry ruffled his hair and kissed his cheek. Evie was helping Mal toss bags into the trunk of the convertible Jay was borrowing for the trip.

"He'll be here," Evie said, noticing Jay's frown.

Jay said nothing. He and Gil had to leave soon, if they were going to make it to Northern Wei in time to watch Lonnie's first professional R.O.A.R. competition. Maybe Carlos wasn't as okay with this as he'd said.

_I want you to be happy,_ Carlos had pointed out when Jay asked if he really didn't mind Jay leaving for a year. _I'm going to miss you like crazy, obviously, but we'll make it work. Just don't cheat on me with any pirates_. He'd frowned then. _Or anyone else, actually_.

Jay had laughed and said that there was no way that would ever happen.

Now Carlos wasn't even here to say goodbye.

Even Mal looked worried now. "I'm sure he just got held up," she said, clapping Jay on the shoulder.

Jay shook his head. "Forget it, Mal. He's not coming." He turned away from the front doors of Auradon Prep, wondering what he should do now- leave, already half an hour later than anticipated, or go find his boyfriend.

It was an easy choice. Jay sighed and made to tell Gil they'd be running a tiny bit later than they currently were, only to see Carlos sprinting down the steps.

Jay smiled as Carlos skidded to a halt in front of him. "I thought you weren't going to come."

"I'm so sorry," Carlos panted, hands on his knees. "I made something for you, but I'd given it to Jane for safekeeping, so you wouldn't find it, and then I had to go find her, and she was out with Greta- you know, Queen Elsa's daughter?- so I had to crash their date, and then Jane had to go get it, and then-"

"Woah. Slow down." Jay shrugged. "You're here now."

"Yeah." Carlos' expression softened. "I wasn't going to miss saying goodbye." He fished a small red box out of his pocket. It was tied shut with a bit of black ribbon. "This is for you."

Jay reached for the box, but hesitated before pulling the ribbon off. "Should I open it now?"

"If you want." Carlos rocked back on his heels and shoved his hands in his pockets.

Jay opened the box.

Resting on a small cushion of black velvet was a gold necklace. The charm spelled out a word- _Jarlos_.

"It's our names," Carlos said. "You know, Jay and Carlos? Because we're together- you hate it, don't you? Is it too much? I can remake it." Carlos reached for the necklace, but Jay yanked it away.

"No! I love it."

Carlos froze. Then he smiled, and Jay watched the blush spread across Carlos' cheeks. "Really?"

"Yeah. Here- put it on?" Jay handed Carlos the necklace and turned around. He felt Carlos' warm fingers on the back of his neck and shivered slightly. The metal wasn't cold, having been passed back and forth between their hands.

"There," Carlos said, and Jay spun to face him again, reaching up to feel the charm dangling at the base of his throat.

"I love it," he said again. "I love you."

Carlos' eyes filled with tears, and he threw his arms around Jay. Jay hugged him back, running his hands through his boyfriend's hair.

"I'm gonna miss you," Carlos choked out.

"Me too, C," Jay said. "Me too."

Carlos lifted his face from Jay's shoulder, and Jay leaned down slightly to kiss him.

It had just started turning from something sweet and innocent to something a little more passionate when Jay heard someone say his name- Gil, having finished his goodbyes with Uma and Harry. Jay ignored him.

One of the girls- Mal- groaned in exasperation, and Jay pulled one of his hands free of Carlos' hair and flipped her off.

Carlos stepped away from Jay slightly, lips parted, and for a split second, Jay seriously considered not leaving.

"I love you," Carlos said. "Now go. Have fun. Visit. Call. Write."

"Yeah." Jay reached out to touch Carlos' face, running the tips of his fingers along his boyfriend's cheekbone. Then he climbed into the car after Gil, stopping only to hug both Mal and Evie, and bump fists with Harry and Uma.

As Jay drove down Auradon Prep's winding drive, he glanced in the rearview mirror once. Carlos was standing in between Mal and Uma, one hand raised in farewell. As if he knew that Jay was watching, he pressed the fingers of that hand to his lips and held them out after the car.

Jay took one hand off the steering wheel to touch the necklace hanging around his neck.

"Don't worry," Gil said. "We'll swing by for winter holidays. Surprise everyone."

"Yeah," Jay said. The car rounded a bend in the road, and Carlos disappeared behind a clump of trees.

Jay pressed the accelerator to the floor, and started a mental countdown at the back of his mind.


End file.
